The present invention relates to improvements in automatic radio paging systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a paging system which permits a subscriber to travel substantially anywhere and receive remotely-originated pages.
Radio paging systems are quite common in most major cities. Typically, a subscriber to such system carries a small receiver which responds to a predeterminedly-coded radio signal by providing an audible tone. To page that subscriber, an individual would dial a local telephone number and enter a coded message identifying that subscriber. The base station would then automatically transmit the coded radio signal for that subscriber who, upon activation of the audible tone from his receiver, would telephone the base station to receive the message.
Several automatic and semi-automatic radio paging systems have been in operation in many parts of the world for the past few years. A number of automatic radio paging systems providing limited nationwide service are either in operation or have been proposed; for example, a national paging system operated by the Austrian PTT in Vienna, Austria; a British Post Office system operated by the General Post Office, London, England; and systems proposed by Digital Paging Systems, Inc. of Englewood, New Jersey (FCC File No. 20786-CD-(18)-78); and Arthur K. Peters, Consulting Engineers of Gainesville, Florida (FCC Docket No. RM-2750). These and other systems provide, or would provide, radio paging service of reasonable calibre to paging subscribers in keeping with the requirements and available technology at the time of their inception. The present and projected future demands for more comprehensive subscriber facilities and operating improvements, however, have outstripped the capabilities of those prior systems and system proposals.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for effectng a nationwide or worldwide paging capability.